Winter
by ThatRunningGuy
Summary: Where Cloud forgets about Denzel's birthday, and Zack has to help him get a gift.


**Just had an idea for a story, hope you guys like it. Not sure if I'm going to post anything else (this is just a oneshot), but please review and tell me what you think.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII, or any other part of the compilation.**

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><p>Cloud awoke that morning comfortable, a sensation he hadn't felt in a long while. The pillow wasn't scratchy, for once (maybe Tifa had just washed it?) and his sheets didn't make him feel like he was trapped with no way to get out. He had felt like that most nights, ever since six years ago when he was trapped inside Hojo's lab.<p>

Comfort wasn't the only unique feeling Cloud felt that morning. There was something else . . . he was just too tired to hone in and pinpoint it. And then he realized it. Someone was watching him.

Cloud's eyes quickly shot open, all traces of sleep gone. He was in alert mode. He scanned the room quickly, stopping when they fell upon the intruder. He was leaning back against Cloud's dresser, a raven eyebrow raised. He was wearing a long sleeve cobalt t-shirt with black jeans. When Cloud locked his ice blue eyes with his violet ones, the intruder crossed his arms, smirking.

"Well hello there, sleepyhead."

Cloud groaned, throwing a pillow at the offender. "Zack, how did you get in?"

Zack easily sidestepped the pillow before tilting his head back and laughing, his raven mane of unruly spikes shaking with each guffaw.

"It's like, one o'clock, dude. The bar opened an hour ago. Not too hard to sneak upstairs and come get ya," Zack grinned cheekily at his best friend. "Now get up, we got errands to run."

Cloud rolled out of bed, pushing his fist against his jaw, cracking his neck. "Errands? Like what?"

Zack smacked rubbed his eye with his right hand, sighing. "How could you forget?"

Then Cloud realized what he was forgetting. Pointing a finger in Zack's direction, he spoke. "Right, Denzel's birthday. Crap. I still need to get him a present."

Zack nodded, raising both his eyebrows now and crossing his arms again. "Right-o, Spike. So let's go," he said, gesturing his head towards the doorway to Cloud's room.

"Just let me get changed," Cloud said, already grabbing a black shirt and navy jeans from his closet.

"Mmkay. Well, I'll be downstairs waiting, so don't take too long."

Cloud nodded, taking his shirt off as soon as Zack left the room. He was changed in about thirty seconds, and although he hadn't showered, he didn't feel filthy, so he figured he'd be okay until after he picked up Denzel's present.

After hurrying down the stairs, Cloud scoured the room for Zack, seeing him leaning against the entrance to the bar. He waved at Cloud to hurry, and Cloud quickly strode over to him. Zack was already out the door, with Cloud right behind him, when her heard someone say his name.

"Cloud, where are you going?" A familiar voice stopped him. Cloud quickly turned, coming face to face with Tifa, staring into her wine-colored eyes.

"Got some stuff to do," he said quickly, avoiding _what _exactly he needed to do. He wasn't about to let Tifa know he had forgotten Denzel's birthday. There'd be no way he'd hear the end of it.

"Cloud," Tifa said quietly, bringing her hand to cup Cloud's face.

"No time, Teef, we gotta get a move on!" Zack called from outside, waving at her to get her attention.

Ignoring him, Tifa continued to Cloud, "Don't run away this time. Please." Cloud didn't say anything in response other than pulling his face away from her gentle touch. He felt guilty for last year, and she knew it. "Cloud. He needs you now, just like you needed him."

Cloud turned around, not wanting to face her. He looked down at the ground, tilting his head to the right so she'd know he was addressing her. "Yeah, I know. I'm sorry."

Before Tifa could say anything else, Cloud walked out the door, leaving Tifa staring wistfully after him.

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><p>Not wanting to talk about Tifa, Cloud decided to keep the focus on Zack. "How'd you get over here? I don't see a motorcycle."<p>

"You know I don't live too far from here. So what's up with Tifa, girl problems?" Zack asked, grinning as he walked through the city, Cloud having to walk briskly to keep up with his best friend's long strides. He knew his blonde friend too well, and wasn't going to let him clam up like usual.

"No, she knows I feel guilty, and she wants me to let it go," Cloud sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets. He never knew what to do with his hands. They always felt awkward hanging at his side, but in his pockets they felt confined and unable to escape.

Zack breathed deeply, placing his hands on his head as he leaned into Cloud to talk. "She's right, ya know. It's not your fault."

Cloud sighed again. "Everyone keeps saying that. Let's just drop it. We're here to get Denzel a present. Do you have any idea what he'd like?"

Zack laughed. "Do _I _know? He's _your _adopted son, isn't he?" Cloud opened his mouth to retort, but Zack hushed him with a sweep of his hand. "Look, you're his role-model, his idol. You are his _Angeal_. Teach him to sword-fight."

Now it was Cloud's turn to laugh. "With what, exactly?"

Zack stopped for a second, his tongue pressed against his cheek. Even though he was good two years older than Cloud, a lot of the time he managed to look a lot younger. "With the Buster Sword!"

"That's yours," Cloud pointed out.

Zack waved his hand, dismissing Cloud's statement. "Meh, I never use it anymore. 'Sides, you know I retired. Aerith was never a huge fan of me fighting, and well, the lady always gets her wish," he said with a wink. Cloud groaned at what Zack was implying. "Seriously though, use the Buster Sword. Maybe not right away, but, let Denz work his way up to it. It's a good sword, you know that much."

"Yeah, I do," Cloud nodded. "Thanks."

Zack stretched his arms out to their full wingspan while grinning. "Hey, man, what are friends for? Now that you got a present, though, you better show up."

Cloud smiled up at Zack. The raven-haired man grinned at his blonde friend's first real smile in a while. "I will, don't worry."

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><p>Cloud stood outside the church in the Sector 5 slums, hands in the pockets of his dress pants. His eyes were shut, readying himself for what he was going to have to endure.<p>

"Hey, Spike!" Cloud heard, and turned to see Zack jogging up to him. Zack, who _wasn't_ in a suit.

"Why don't you have to dress up!" Cloud shot at him, groaning at his attire.

Zack shot back a cheeky grin. "I'm gonna have to play with the kids," he said, sweeping his hands over the same cobalt t-shirt and black jeans he was wearing the other day. "So, I need to wear clothes I can get dirty in."

Cloud just raised an eyebrow at him. "Yeah, yeah, whatever." He started to head into the church, but Zack stopped him.

"Thanks for coming, Cloud. It means a lot."

Cloud turned back to his friend. "I mean, I do owe you, don't I?"

Zack grinned again. "Yeah, you do. So promise me one more thing."

"What?"

"Ya gotta forgive yourself for what happened. It wasn't your fault."

Cloud bit down on his lower lip, chuckling slightly. "Gods, you are so annoying."

Zack shrugged, waggling his eyebrows at Cloud. "Well, yeah. I'm your best friend, s'my job."

Clouded nodded then, taking in Zack's words. "Okay. I will. You ready to go blow out some candles?"

"Candles?" A voice behind Cloud and Zack asked. The two men turned to see Vincent Valentine, dressed up in a suit, his usually ragged hair pulled back neatly into a ponytail. He was almost unrecognizable, except for his trademark crimson eyes.

"Well, yeah," Cloud said. "The candles, the birthday cake, the mess the kids are going to make when they realize we run out of forks . . ." Cloud trailed on.

Vincent leaned his head back, staring at Cloud pointedly. "Where . . . do you think we are?"

Cloud turned back to Zack after Vincent's statement, only to see empty air next to him. Zack was gone. Cloud felt a chill hit him suddenly, like it was winter in the middle of July. He pulled his lips together tightly, smiling ruefully. So this is how it goes.

Vincent placed a light hand on his friends shoulder, leading him through the big wooden doors, and into the church.

Cloud kept his eyes shut for as long as he could, not wanting to face the truth. When he finally opened them, he saw the Buster Sword sitting a small patch of flowers, sunlight from the hole in the church that Cloud had fallen through so long ago reflecting off the metal, casting the entire church in a yellow hue.

It wasn't Denzel's birthday at all. That wasn't until next month. Today . . . today was the day Zack Fair had become a hero.


End file.
